The Andorra Sports Innovation Hub and ICONIC attract attention at the GSIC Summit 2023

Andorra participated in the GSIC Summit 2023, an event organized by Microsoft's Global Sports Innovation Center that brought together at the Wizink Center in Madrid some of the international leaders and experts in the sports and technology industries from 31 countries. On the Andorran side, the directors of Andorra Business and Andorra Research and Innovation, Judit Hidalgo and Vanesa Arroyo, presented the Andorra Sports Innovation Hub, which encompasses the lines of work, programs and projects related to the sector. Also Aleix Prat, from ICONIC, presented the future high performance center for athletes that is being built in Port d'Envalira.

Hidalgo stressed that "these international and sectorial summits are very important for us to be able to connect with companies, startups and entities like us, with whom we make them aware of what is happening in Andorra and how they can take advantage of the opportunities offered by our country". In this sense, Arroyo explained that "it helps us to share experiences with other international professionals and connect innovation and research with high-impact sectors such as sports. Not only with the incorporation of new technologies such as artificial intelligence, but also with projects that promote sustainability".

The Andorran representatives also met with other participating public delegations, such as those from Ireland and Singapore, and participated in international working sessions where several real cases specifically designed for the attendees were analyzed. And they have explained the pilot tests that are being developed in the LivingLab environment with startups such as Evix. Journalists from media such as La Razón, Marca and Movistar also interviewed the Andorran directors.

On the other hand, the general director of GSIC, Iris Cordoba has highlighted that "Andorra has shown us its strategy and how every year they present new projects. In this case the ICONIC high performance center that will be a reference in sports medicine and health, and also the opportunities and facilities that the country offers to welcome entrepreneurs". Technological innovation, blockchain, artificial intelligence and immersive experiences served as an example to explain how technologies are transforming and developing user experiences.

GSIC 2023 Madrid

The GSIC is an event of reference in terms of technological innovation in the sports industry where the latest developments in technology and its application to the field of sport have been discussed. This edition brought together more than 200 attendees from 31 countries such as Singapore, Australia, United States, Arab Emirates, France, Italy, Portugal and Spain. Some of the most important brands in the sector were also represented, including FIFA, La Liga, Real Madrid, the US Soccer Federation, the Power League, the Global Esports Federation and the European Space Agency.